ripley



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1'. R. A. RIPLEY.

ELECTRIC CURRENT CONVERTER. No. 347,642. Patented Aug. 17, 1886,

fl arkz'zza Circuit (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

R. A. RIPLEY.

ELECTRIC CURRENT CONVERTER.

No. 347,642. Patentd Aug. 17, 1886.

UNITED STATES PATENT ROBERT A. RIPLEY, OF NEW YORK, N.

ELECTRIC-CURRENT CONVERTER.

EPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 347,62, dated August1'7, 1886.

Application filed April 10, 1585,

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Rencwed December 16, 1885,

Serial No, 185.970. (No model.)

Be it known that l, Bonner A. RIPLEY, a or non-reversed currents citizenof the United States, residing in the city of New York, State of NewYork, have invented a new and useful Electric-Current Converter, ofwhich the following is a specifieation.

The electric currents derived from storagebatteries, d ynamo-electriomachines, and other sources of electrical energy are of too lowelectro-motivc force for many purposes, and it is desirable to convertthese currents into other currents of a higher electro-motive force. Onthe other hand, the electro-motive force of the original current may betoo high for the desired purpose, and it is required to convert it intoone of lower electro-motive force. It is also desirable to be able toobtain currents of different respective electro-motive forces from thesame original or primary current, as well as to obtain severalindependent currents of the same electro-motive force from the singleprimary current.

The object of my invention is to provide means for accomplishing theseresults; and the invention which forms the subject-matter of this patentconsists, essentially, in inducing in one or more stationary coils, bymeans of the primary current, currents of the desired electro-motiveforces, and combining with such inducing apparatus means for rectifying,with respect to the working or useful circuit, the alternating orreversed currents produced in these coils, so as to supply theworking-circuits with practically-continuous currents of unchangingpolarity.

For the inducing apparatus or converter I prefer to employ an apparatussimilar to an induction-coil, consisting of the primary wire or coil,through which the original current is passed, and one or more secondarycoils composed of finer or coarser wires, according to the respectiveelectro-motive forces it is intended to obtain. The primary current inthe primary coil, which is made to vary in strength or polarity bysuitable means, induces in the secondary coils alternating currents.These alternating currents are passed through a rectifying-commutator,which opcrates in unison with the variations of the primary current, andrectifics the alternating secondary current produced in the coils, so asMy invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1 represents my converter, the primary or inducing current beingobtained from the dynamo-electric machine, and the secondary current isemployed to feed a single circuit. Fig. 2 represents a modification ofmy invention, in which I employ a number of independent secondary coilsto feed the independent circuits'with currents of differentelectro-motive forces, the primary or inducing coil being common to allthe secondary coils, and the source of current shown in this case beinga battery of any desired form. Fig. Sropresents another modification ofmy invention, in which independent converters or inducing apparatusesare employed, and are fed by the same primary current which is derivedfrom a corn tinuous-current dynamo-machine, and converted into analternating current by an additional commutator. Fig. -1 represents analternating current dynamo machine employed to feed the primary circuit,and the secondary current is rectified by a commutator carried upon theshalt of the dynamo and constructed to reverse the seconfia'iry currentsynchronously with the reversals of the pri mary current in the dynamo.

In Fig. l, A represents my inducing apparatus or converter, which may beconstructed in any desired form 5 but I have shown it as consisting,generally, ofthc ordinary core, the primary wire wound thereon, and thesecond ary wire of an induction-coil, the respective sizes of the wiresand the form of the coils be ing of course adapted to the particularconditions of any case. B is a shaft capable of being revolved at theproper speed and carrying two commutators, C and D. It may be driven inany desired way by connection to the generating-dynamo E by belt, asrepresented, for example, if desirable; but it is not necessary in thisform of construction that its speed should bear any particular relationto that of the dynamo. The commutator C is interposed in the circuit ofthe dynamo E, which leads through the primary circuit of the converterA, and consists simply of consecutive metal strips, of which thealternate ones form part of or are connected to the continuous ring c,and the intermediate ones are deadstrips, serving merely as metalsurfaces to support the lefthand brush between the adjoining sections.When this commutator is caused to revolve, the primary circuit is brokenevery time one of the dead-strips f passes under its brush, and isclosed while one of the adjoining strips is passing under the samebrush, so that this commutator operates to makeand breakthe circuitintermittently at a rate corresponding to its speed of revolution. Thecommutator D is made similar to the commutator 0, except that it isprovided with four brushes, as shown, and both halves are alike-thatis,what act as dead-stripsf in the commutator 0 form part of or areconnected to the left-hand ring D, with which the brush K connects. Thebrush Lis set with a lead of one commutatorstrip in advance of the brushM, and these two brushes form the terminals of the workingcircuit. Thereversed or alternating current produced by the variation or making andfore.

breaking of the primary current from the dynamo passes to the outsidebrushes, K and N, and thence through the commutator D to the brushes Land M, and thence through the working-circuit. The commutator D isprovided with the same number of strips as the commutator O, and isshown in the drawings as being set upon the shaft, so that its stripsexactly correspond in position with respect to its brushes with thoseofthe commutator 0, though in practice one will, probably require to beset with a slight lead in advance of the other, on account of theretardation that may take place in the converter A. This,however,woulddepend upon the particular conditions, and can very easily be found inany case by experiment. The effect of this construction is, that theinstant the commutator G breaks .or opens the circuit and the current isreversed in the secondary circuit the commutator D acts to reverse thesecondary coil with respect'to the workingcircuit,.so that the secondarycircuits, though alternating in the converter, are rectifiedthat is, aremade to pass through the working-circuit in the same direction. When thecommutator G acts to close the primary circuit, the current traversingthe primary coil produces two effects. It acts to a certain extentdirectly upon the secondary coil and induces a current therein, and thisinduced current reacts upon the primary coil and sets up therein anopposing or counter electromotive force, which results in an absorptionof the primary current. The principal cfi'ect of the primary coil,however, is to strain the iron core into a magnetic condition. Thisresults in two effects. The magnetic core reacts while being magnetizedupon the primary coil and generates a counter electromotive force,resulting in a further absorption of the primarycurrent, and at the sametime the magnetization of the core generates a current in the secondarycoil, and this current also reacts on the primary coil and neutralizesthe current therein. In this way the three, Q, R, and S, being shown.

= tro-motive force. 'to the rcctifying-commutator D, as before,

cuit is fed.

current traversing the primary coil on closing produces an inducedcurrent of one polarity in the secondary coil. When the commutator 0opens the circuit again, the energy stored up in the core during themagnetization is given out in the form of a reversed induced current inthe secondary coil as the core returns to its unmagnetic condition.Before this current is produced, however, the secondary coil has beenreversed'by the commutator D in the secondary circuit, so that this lastcurrent traverses the actual workingcircuit in the same direction as thecurrent produced by the closing of theprimary circuit.

In order that the iron core may magnetize and demagnctize withsufficient rapidity, it should be made of well-annealed iron and formedof a bundle of iron wires, or 'of sheets or laminae insulated to preventthe formation of Foucault currents, in the well-known manner.

In Fig. 2, A represents the converter, as be- Thesecondary or inducingcoil is divided up into any desired number of sections, The primarycircuit of the converter is fed, as before, from any desired source ofcurrent, E, a storagebattery, or any other form of battery, as shown,and an intermittent current is produced by means of the commutator O, asbefore. The first coil, Q, of the secondary I have represented ascomposed of comparatively fine wire,

in orderto obtain a comparatively higher elec- The circuit from thisleads from which the corresponding working-cir- The second coil orsection, B, I have represented as composed of somewhat coarser wire, orfewer convolutions, and leads to the commutator D, which, as before,rectifies the alternating currents thus obtained with respect to, thesecond working-circuit, giving a continuous current of somewhat lowerelectro-motive force. The third section, S, is composed of still largerwire, or fewer turns, if preferred, and leads to the third commutator,D, which feeds the third working-circuit, as clearly represented. Bythis construction I am enabled to obtain any desired number of currentsin separate circuits entirely independentof each other and of anydesired electro-moti ve forces, and these currents may be employed tooperate a number of independent telegraph-circuits, or for any otherpurposes.

In Fig. 3, A A A represent separate eonverters. I have shown theirprimary coils as connected in series .and supplied from the same sourceof current, E. If a continuous-current dynamo-machine be employed, ahigher efliciency can be obtained by reversing or I alternating thecurrent in such a machine in the primary coils than if the primarycircuits be similarly made and broken intermittently; and in this case Iemploy a reversing-commutator, G, through which the current from thesource E is passed. It converts the continuous current from the source,as is evident from Lil the drawings, into an alternating current, and asit is carried upon the same shaft as the rectifying-connnutators D, eachof which is provided with a corresponding number of strips, it acts toalternate the primary current in unison with the rectifying-commutatorsD, and if the commutator-brushes are properly adjusted and theeonimutators revolved at the proper speed the effect in theworking-circuits derived from the secondary coils will be practicallycontinuous currents of the desired electro-motive forces and entirelyindependent of one another.

Instead of employing a continuous-currcnt source of electrical energy,E, an alternatingcurrent dynamoanachine may be used, and thisconstruction I have illustrated in Fig. 41-. E represents analternating-current dynamo of any well-known form,,the current beingtaken off by the brushes 0 and h, which bear, respectively, upon twocontinuous connecting rings, as shown, no commutator being employed inthis machine upon the shaft. Upon the shaft of this machine is mounted arectifying-commutator, D, such as I have alreadydescribed, and it isconstructed so that its strips or sections correspond in number andrelative positions upon the shaft with the bobbins or sections of thearmature winding, which determine the number of reversals in the currentper revolution of the shaft. The consequence is, that the commu tator Doperates in unison with the reversals of current in the armature andreetifies the alternating current thereby produced in the secondarycircuit, producing in the workingcircuit a practically continuouscurrent of unvarying strength, if properly constructed, and of whateverelectro-motive force it is desired to obtain. If the eleetro-motiveforce of the primary circuit or source of current is too high, thesecondary circuit should then be wound with coarser wire or fewer turns,and the effect will be a reduction in the electromotive force.

I am aware that it has been proposed to converthigh-tension currentsinto low-tension currents by causing such high-tension current to passthrough an inducing apparatus or coil alternately in oppositedirections,and synchronously rectifying the induced current therebygenerated, so as to supply the consumption or working circuit with acontinuous current, such an apparatus being described in patent toEdison, Noi/FSAIS, of May 29, 1883, and I do not broadly claim suchapparatus.

lVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,1's

1. The combination of an electric generator or source of electriccurrent, means for reversing or producing an intermittent change in thecurrent derived therefrom, a primary or inducing circuit or conductorfed by the said current, two or more secondary or induced coils orconductors under the inductive influence of the said primary circuit,and two or more rectifying commutators respectively connected with theseparate. secondary coils and their working circuits, whereby two ormore separate continuous currents are obtained from the same primarycurrent.

2. The combination of an electric generator or source of electriccurrent, means for reversing or producing an intermittent change in thecurrent derived therefrom, a primary coil or conductor wound upon amagnetic core and fed by the said current, two or more secondary coilsor conductors, also wound upon the said core, and two or morereetifying-commutators respectively connected with the separate secondary coils and their working-circuits, so as to rectify the currentsgenerated therein.

3. The combination of an electric generator or source of electriccurrent, means for reversing or producing an intermittent change in thecurrent derived therefrom, a primary coil or conductor wound upon amagnetic core and fed by the said current, two or more secondary coilsor conductors composed of different respective numbersof convolutions,also wound upon the said core, and two or more rectifying-commutatorsrespectively connected with the secondary coils and theirworking-circuits, so as to rectify the currents generated therein.

4-. The combination of an alternating-current dynamo-electric machine, aprimary coil or conductor fed thereby, a secondary coil or conductorunder the inductive influence ofthe primary coil, and a recti fying-comm utator carried by the shaft of the dynamo-machine, and so constructedwith respect to the armature coils or sections of said machine as toreverse the secondary coil in circuit synchronously with the reversalsof the primary current.

Signed this 8th day of April, 1885.

ROBERT A. RIPLEY.

Vitnesses:

CHARLES G. CURTIs, FRANcIs B. ORooKEn.

